Senior Section round-up for 27 & 28 August

 

Darfield clinched promotion from Division 1 on Saturday after a 25-run win in a high-scoring game away to Rotherham Town. After electing to bat first, the league leaders made 270, thanks to Kastun Stoute’s 97 from 63 balls, and good support from Will Scott and Jonathan Parkin, who scored 65 each; Idris Khan’s 6-39 then won the game for the visitors, despite Tuffail Dar’s 80 from 57 balls. There was also a win for second-placed Doncaster Town 2nds, who posted 192 at home to Wakefield Thornes 2nds, thanks to forties from Robert Grace and Warren Graca, before Christian Dobson and Graca took three wickets each to bowl the visitors out nine runs short. In third place, Upper Haugh continue to push Town, recording an impressive 124-run win at home to Sheffield United. Dean Smith (98 not out) and Habil Malik (78) helped the hosts to 309-9 after being asked to bat first; before United were restricted to 185-9, despite Sonal Amarasekara’s 80. 

 

At the other end of the table, bottom side Sheffield Collegiate 3rds pulled themselves back into the fight to avoid relegation with an important win at South Kirkby, thus forcing their hosts back into the relegation zone. After recording 214-9, they bowled the home side out for 196, thanks to Shafiullah Shinwari’s 4-48. Coal Aston moved out of the bottom three with a 60-run win away to Oughtibridge War Memorial; after posting 151, Daniel Hemingway took 6-31 to bowl out the hosts for just 91. To complete an eventful weekend for the struggling teams, Warmsworth stayed in the fight by chasing down 100 by eight wickets away to Whitley Hall 2nds to. 

 

Doncaster are now 16 points clear of Upper Haugh in the battle for the second promotion spot; whilst the bottom four now only separated by 12 points, with Coal Aston four points clear of the relegation zone, in which South Kirkby are just two points above Warmsworth, with Collegiate six points further back. 

 

 

Ackworth clinched the Division 2 championship with a four-wicket win at home to Caribbean Sports. Bilal Hanif’s 59 had helped the visitors post a competitive 191, but John Wood’s 59 off 35 balls and Luke Townsend’s unbeaten 54 took the hosts to victory with four wickets and eleven overs to spare. The battle for third place remains hotly contested, as three sides remain separated by just four points. All three picked up victories this weekend, with fourth-placed Hallam 2nds’ the most impressive as they defeated second-placed Wickersley Old Village 2nds by a single wicket at Northfield Lane. Chasing 152, the visitors were pushed all the way, thanks to David Mace’s 7-42, but managed to pull off the win with six overs to spare. Aston Hall 2nds retained the final promotion place after scoring 168 and winning by just three runs away to Monk Bretton; Tim Shaw hit 50 after they chose to bat first, and then took 4-37 to help bowl out the home side in the final over. Treeton 2nds’ won at Penistone, where they chased down 110 with four wickets to spare; Ben Birtles took 4-31 to help bowl the hosts out after they had chosen to bat, then saw his team over the line with an unbeaten 31, in company with Jonathan Barnes (30 not out). Wickersley in second place are still 18 points clear of Aston Hall in third, followed two points back by Hallam, with Treeton, just two further points adrift. 

 

Thorpe Hesley & High Green lost at Norton Oakes by 112 runs after the home side scored 207, thanks to Daniel Baldwin’s 73 from 67 balls, which he followed up with 6-27 in the second innings as the visitors were bowled out for 95. This, coupled with the defeats for Monk Bretton and Caribbean, means that the bottom three all lost and are relegated. Elsewhere, ninth-placed Hatfield lost by three wickets at Norton Woodseats, after David Barrett (65) had helped them to 206-8, but James Eyre’s 60 followed by an unbeaten 66 from Aamir Ashfaque saw the hosts to an impressive win. 

 

 

Wath 2nds inflicted on champions Elsecar 2nds’ only their second defeat of the season to strengthen their own promotion bid. They restricted their visitors to 135-8 after electing to bowl first, then chased down the target with seven wickets and nine overs to spare, with Sam Whitlam hitting an unbeaten 57. The gap to third-placed Parkhead was narrowed to just six points after the latter lost by 66 runs at home to Frecheville Community, who posted 239-6, with Todd Saxelby (71 from 58 balls) and Daniel Kempton (57) top-scoring, before Saxelby took 4-58 as the home side were dismissed for 173. 

 

None of the top three picked up wins, with Tickhill 2nds falling 57 runs short of a 243-run target at home to Oughtibridge War Memorial 2nds, despite which they are promoted in consequence of other results. Batting first, the visitors’s star performer was Joseph Boyden, who racked up 105 in an innings in which no other batsman made more than 23; Dilshan Luxman Sukumar then helped wrap up the win with 4-39. 

 

Near the bottom of the table, Thorncliffe & Wentworth improved their prospects of survival with a 111-run win away to Sprotbrough 2nds. After being asked to bat first, both Hummad Younis and James Brown passed 50 to help the visitors to 260-7, before Brown then took 4-22 to restrict the hosts to 149-9. Thorncliffe’s win, coupled with Bradfield Village Fellowship’s defeat of Worsbrough Bridge, has opened up the race for survival. Bradfield won by 48 runs at the Sands after being all out for 159, with Hennie Swart top-scoring with 49 and taking three wickets. Relegated Whiston Parish Church 2nds lost by four wickets at Kexborough, after Neil Hinchcliffe took 6-24 as they were bowled out for 124. 

 

Second-placed Tickhill are 18 points ahead of Parkhead, who appear to be battling it out for third place with Wath, six points behind them; Oughtibridge slip into the third relegation place, six points behind Bradfield and four ahead of Thorncliffe. 

 

 

Leaders Stocksbridge sealed promotion with a 30-run win away to Shiregreen 2nds, despite being bowled out for 104. Fida Mohammad took 5-20 for Shiregreen, who are still eight points from safety, but Richard Marsden’s 5-21 saw the home side all out for just 74 in reply. Millhouses Works fell behind in the race for the title this weekend after a heavy 143-run loss at home to fourth-placed Cawthorne 2nds. After choosing to bowl first, the home side conceded 261-6, with Josh Holling hammering 83 from 50 balls and Nick Lowe 73; Ryan Bagshaw then took 4-29 to help bowl Millhouses out for 118. Third-placed Higham won by 111 runs at home to Barnsley Woolley Miners 3rds after they racked up 239-9; George Deegan (82) and Rikki Sephton (74) put on 182 for the second wicket, before Joseph Green took 6-63 to leave Barnsley just eight points above the relegation zone. 

 

 

At the other end of the table, Whiston Forge join Maltby Miners Welfare in being relegated, after a a six-wicket defeat at home to Handsworth Junior SC; Robert Horton’s 89 not out helped them to 219, but Waqas Ali’s 104 from 82 balls, supported by Omer Mohammad Arshad’s 68, put paid to their hopes. Bottom team Maltby lost by 86 runs at home to Silkstone United; Joe Green’s 59 not out helped the visitors recover from 90-8 to 159-8 after electing to bat first, and four bowlers shared the wickets as Maltby were all out for 73. Elsewhere, Rockingham Colliery 2nds lost by six wickets away to Sheffield Collegiate 4ths; Mark Longley took 5-19 to restrict the visitors to 114-9, before Daniel Longley (39 not out) and Ben Hartog (31) put on 64 for the fourth wicket to see Collegiate to a comfortable win. 

 

Millhouses need just one more win to seal promotion, whilst there are four points between Higham, Cawthorne and Handsworth, who are fighting for the third promotion spot; whilst the final relegation place appears to be a straight fight between Shiregreen and Barnsley. 

 

 

There were several big wins in Division 5, none more so than by Doncaster Town 3rds, who improved their promotion prospects with a 130-run home win over second-placed Upper Haugh 2nds, moving level on points with their visitors. After choosing to bat first, Jak Hotchkiss’ 101 helped Town to 224-8, before the visitors were bowled out for 94 – four bowlers sharing the wickets. This allowed league leaders Wombwell Main to increase the gap at the top and secure promotion by beating relegation-threatened Sheffield University Staff by 123 runs at Warminster Road; Thomas Goldsby-West’s 72 from 74 balls helped the visitors to 208-6 before they bowled the Staff out for just 85. Hallam 3rds failed to increase the gap between themselves and the University Staff in the relegation zone, losing by six wickets away to Coal Aston 2nds. After choosing to bat first, the visitors made only 155-9, despite Sam Yellops’ 50 not out, before Matthew Boreman’s unbeaten 52 saw his side to a very comfortable win. 

 

Elsewhere, there was a rare win for relegated Mexborough Athletic, who hammered Rotherham Town 2nds by 160 runs at home; Athletic posted 229-8 before Jonny Bradley (6-37) and Andrew Philip Sharp (4-30) combined to bowl the visitors out for 69. Second-bottom side Norton Oakes 2nds were beaten by nine wickets at fourth-placed Fishlake after being bowled out for 107, thanks to James Yeaman’s 5-36, and Richard Copley’s unbeaten 72 saw the hosts to victory at a canter. Meanwhile, Conisbrough 2nds won away at Darfield 2nds by 131 runs, despite being restricted to 195-9; Ben Scott scored 62 before Craig Jackson (5-19) helped bowl the hosts out for 64. 

 

Upper Haugh and Doncaster are now level on 188 points in the fight for the second promotion place, but Upper Haugh have a game in hand; whilst the third relegation place is between Hallam and the University Staff, with Hallam currently holding a six-point advantage. 

 

 

Sheffield United 2nds sealed the Division 6 championship with a 45-run victory at home to Bradfield Village Fellowship 2nds. Anoop Surendran scored 72 from 44 balls to lead the home side to 205-5, and Bradfield finished on 160-7 despite Paul Garnett’s 82. Thorpe Hesley & High Green 2nds moved into second place with a 44-run win at home to Sprotbrough 3rds; Iain MacDonald and Callum Gray scored fifties as the home side posted 157-7, before bowling the visitors out for 113. 

 

Strugglers Caribbean Sports 2nds picked up 16 points from their double-header this weekend to open up a 16-point gap between themselves and Sprotborough 3rds. They kicked the weekend off with four points from a 13-run defeat at home to fourth-placed Wickersley Old Village 3rds, falling just short of their 182-run target; Ben Richardson’s 77 proving to be the winning knock for the visitors, despite Ali Abbas’ 68 not out for the home side. This was followed up on Monday with a three-wicket home win over third-placed Penistone 2nds; Caribbean chased down 151 with three wickets to spare after Basharat Ali’s 6-38 restricted the visitors to 151-9. 

 

The battle for the second promotion place is between Thorpe Hesley, on 144 points, with Penistone on 142 in third, followed by Wickersley Old Village 3rds on 138; Caribbean are now 16 points above the relegation places, with Sprotbrough and Green Moor 2nds below them, whilst a number of clubs from sixth place downwards could still get drawn into the battle. An added complication is that Wickersley’s total includes 12 points awarded after their loss to Green Moor was overturned, and the Green Moor total takes into account their loss of points and a 12-point penalty, all of which is subject to a potential appeal. 

 

 

Leaders Brookhouse got back to winning ways at the top of Division 7 in emphatic fashion, overcoming relegated Monk Bretton 2nds by ten wickets at home; Thomas Green took 4-17 as they bowled their visitors out for 121, with Jonathan Kirk then scoring 79 not out as they romped home. Second-placed Higham 2nds also secured promotion with an impressive seven-wicket win away to Eden Grove Parklands; Steven Bamforth taking 5-20 to bowl the hosts out for just 68 after they batted first. Third-placed Ackworth 2nds were on the receiving end of a seven-wicket defeat away to Frecheville Community 2nds after being bowled out for just 76 in their first innings, with Aadil Hassan and Adam Gibson taking four wickets each for the hosts. Warmsworth 2nds kept alive their promotion hopes by beating Harley by 48 runs after they were restricted to 147-7; Jack Rodgers’ 4-0 the being the highlight of a fine bowling performance as the visitors were bowled out for 99. 

 

Towards the bottom, there was a third win of the season for relegated Thorncliffe & Wentworth 2nds as they overcame mid-table Millhouses Works 2nds by 24 runs at home; after the home side were put into bat, they made 178 before Callum Pearce took 4-23 to help bowl the visitors out for 154. 

 

Ackworth and Warmsworth, separated by just two points, are battling it out for the third promotion place; whilst Mexborough need to make up a 16-point gap to Eden Grove and safety if they are to avoid the third relegation place. 

 

 

The top three in Division 8 pulled yet further away from the rest and confirmed their respective promotions. Second-placed Houghton Main 2nds racked up the highest score of the weekend with 327-5 at home to Scholes, whom they then bowled out for 83, John Cook taking 4-17, to help them win by 244; there were hundreds for the home side by Naseem Shahid (105 off 95 balls) and Matt Thornton (102 in just 52). There was also a big win for third-placed Stocksbridge 2nds, who posted 185-7 at home to fourth-placed Doncaster Town 4ths, before limiting their visitors to 112-8, with Anthony Siddall and Jack Firth taking three wickets apiece. 

 

The biggest winning margin came at Worsbrough Bridge, where Scott Aranyi (118) and Robert Stubbings (91) helped the home side to 309-5, before visitors Fishlake 2nds were bowled out for just 49 (Ethan Sefton 4-28) and lost by 260 runs. On Monday, Wath 3rds pulled further away from the relegation zone with an 80-run victory at home to Rockingham Colliery 3rds. Jack Lewis’s 80 helped his side to 194-9 after being put in to bat, and the visitors were restricted to 112-9 in their reply. 

 

With the championship and promotion issues settled, and Dearne and Fishlake 2nds relegated, the only issue is the third relegation place; Scholes are 26 points from safety, but do have three games to play, so their position is not yet without hope. 

 

 

Already-promoted Division 9 leaders Adwick-le-Street hit the 200-point mark with a 56-run win at home to Eden Grove Parklands 2nds. Liam Bishop hit 66 not out and Nick Bisby also passed fifty as the home side made 203-3 after choosing to bat; Bisby then capped a fine individual display with 5-25 to leave the visitors 147 all out. Second-placed Wombell Main 2nds were awarded 12 points when Hampole & Skelbrooke conceded, and below them, Upper Haugh 3rds sustained a surprise 66-run defeat at home to Kexborough 2nds, where they were bowled out for just 126 chasing 193 to win, Ethan Shillito taking 4-17 for the visitors. This allowed Whiston Forge 2nds to close the gap to third to 34 points when they won away at Rockingham Colliery 4ths by seven wickets on Sunday; Cade Darwin (82 not out) was the match-winner for the visitors, who chased down 140 with ease, and they can narrow the gap further if they win their game in hand. Finally, there was a seven-wicket win for Rockingham at home to Brookhouse 2nds on Saturday; they bowled their visitors out for just 47 in the first innings and knocked off the required runs in the 15th over. 

 

Adwick are 14 points clear of second-placed Wombwell, and one more win will see them crowned champions; Wombwell require only one more point for their promotion to be confirmed; Upper Haugh remain favourites for the third spot, but need at least one more win to be certain. 

 

League tables 

 

Full scorecards